Your liver carries a heavy load, that’s for sure. As such, it’s incredibly important to support it with a nutritious diet and a healthy lifestyle.
As well as working hard to remove nasty toxins like alcohol, medications, household chemicals and pesticides from the blood, your liver is also responsible for fighting infections, regulating blood flow and preventing blood clotting!
In addition, it also helps to break down fat, support healthy digestion and keep cholesterol levels in check. Phew! Who knew the humble liver took care of so much?
Nurturing your liver
There are a number of things you can do to support your liver.
First things first, let’s talk about alcohol.
We all know that when it comes to the liver, alcohol can be a cause for concern. This is because alcohol overload severely stresses liver cells and can trigger fat build-up in the liver. As such, taking a break from booze is more or less the equivalent of packing your liver off on a holiday!
In addition to being mindful of how much alcohol you are consuming, you should also strive to support your liver with a low-sugar, low-toxin diet with lots of antioxidant-rich plant-based foods. As a registered nutritional therapist, I can certainly help with that.
Let’s take a closer look at what sort of foods you can include in your diet in order to give your liver a boost…
Beetroot
This ever-so-vibrant root veg is a whizz when it comes to encouraging liver cleansing and improving liver function.
The antioxidants present in beetroot seem to protect this vital organ from the effects of too much alcohol and may even reduce fatty deposits in the liver. Wow!
Broccoli
The bright green hue that is characteristic of broccoli signals a high level of two liver-boosting nutrients: antioxidants and chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll helps to purify the blood, thus supporting the liver in one of its primary functions. Broccoli – as well as other members of the cruciferous veg family, such as kale, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, red cabbage etc – also helps the liver to produce vital enzymes which remove toxins and help digestion.
Green tea
Staying well hydrated is absolutely essential to the overall health of all of your organs and cells, so of course it is key to keeping a healthy liver well-nurtured and well-regulated.
Interestingly, the British Liver Trust suggests that green tea can protect the liver because of its exceptionally high antioxidant levels. So, it’s not just about hitting the water, you can also enjoy a lovely antioxidant-rich brew, too.
Turmeric
This super-herb is renowned for its health-boosting properties.
One of the key benefits it brings to liver health is its ability to stimulate bile production and flow. This is fantastic as it is bile that is responsible for flushing out waste from the liver and helping to metabolise and eliminate fat.
Additionally, turmeric also facilitates an increase in the essential antioxidant, glutathione which neutralises any harmful oxidation that may cause damage to cells.
Garlic and onions
These super troopers of the allium vegetable family are both fantastic detoxifiers. What’s more, onions and garlic are also rich in valuable sulphur compounds which assist the liver in its production of the essential antioxidant, glutathione.
Rocket
Fans of crisp summer salads will be pleased to know that the liver loves rocket!
Rocket is a fantastic source of magnesium and B vitamins, which are in high demand by your liver. The bitterness of rocket - which can be found in other foods, too, such as dandelion greens, coffee, Jerusalem artichokes and kale - also hints towards the presence of incredibly beneficial enzymes that serve to nourish the liver.
So, next time you’re prepping a salad, make sure to do your liver a favour and pack it full of delicious, peppery rocket!
Lentils
Did you know that your liver loves lentils?
These powerhouse legumes provide a potent mix of nourishing protein and fibre-rich carbohydrate. Additionally, lentils are also rich in key nutrients needed by our liver, including the B vitamins, magnesium and zinc, to name just a few.
So, why not opt for a lovely, hearty daal or a delicious lentil bolognese next time you’re cooking dinner? Your liver will certainly thank you for it.
Do you think you could benefit from professional guidance on how to support your body and mind with nutrition? Vagus Wellbeing can help. Take a look at the services that I offer here.
For a free, thirty minute consultation call, book here.
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